Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-12-28

Quickening his pace. he soon caught
up with it, and found it to be as he
thought, the child of whom he was in
search.
The little mite turned as John Sell
wyn reached her side, and again he
heard that pleading voice, "Oh sir,
it is so cold and / can't go nome with
out bread for mamma, and she will
sta vel" The piteous cry went
straight to thegreat noble heart beat
ing in John Selwyn's bosom. Taking
the child's little half frozen fingers in
his great warm ones, he SAID, "Where
does your mother live, my child P"
"Come, lead me. I will go with you
there"
"With me, to see my mother? Oh
sir, she'll be so glad" and the little
cold hand clasped the large one with
d firmer grasp, and led the way, up
one street and down another, some
times nearly smothered in q great
snowdrift, and again hurrying on
where the snow had been blown off
the sidewalks by the strong winds.
They met few persons on the way,
and they hurried past scarc7 deigning
TO glance at the strange pair.
The wind blew so that it was impos-
sible TO keep up a conversation, SO
Mr.. Selwyn plodded on busy with his
thoughts. What if he was being led
into some trap? Pshaw! He would
not entertain such an idea for mo-
ment They came to q hotel. John
stopped in front of it saying, "Come
inside and we will get something to
take to your mother"
They entered and passing through
the hall approached the clerk at the
desk. "Can you supply me with some
food, and put it in a basket for me-?
[ Will pay you literally for it, said
Mr.. Selwyn, as the clerk hesitated
and glanced first at him and then at
the poorly clad child accompanying
him.
'Oh my dear SIR" said the clerk,
"my hesitation was upon no other
account than the lateness of the hour.
l was considering how [ could best
serve you"
He reached up and pulled the bell
cord hanging near his desk, and his
ring was shortly answered by the ap-
pearance of the porter.
"Here, Sam, look alive, and go
down into the kitchen and ell a basket
of some kind OILS it for sick person,
sir?" addressing Mr.. Selwyn. "Yes !!
Then get some Of the cold turkey,
some cake and any kind of jelly you
can find"
While waiting for the porter to re-
turn, Mr.. Selwyn piled the child with
questions.
"What is your name, my dear p"
said he.
"My name is Mary Selwyn Ham
mond," said the child, looking up into
Mr.. Selwyn's face and throwing back
the shawl from her head, "and
mammals name is Mary too"
At the name "S8lwyn" John started
and looked earnestly in the little
pinched face.
"Great Heavens! That name! If
it should be SO! But no, there are
others in this great city with the
name of Selwyn who are no kin of
mine"
"Piease, sir, I'm not truly beggar;
[ never begged before, but papa died
and mamma was sick and couldn't do
any more sewing, and oh! / was so
hungry. So I didn't say to mamma
that | was going, cause | thought
could get some bread at the grocer's
and get back before she missed me;
but the groceryman drove me out
when | asked him for some bread and
told him | had no money to pay him
with"
THE brute!" said the clerk.
"And then [ asked people 30 give
me g. few cents, and told them how
sick poor mamma was; but they only
hurried faster, and wouldn't look at
me. And then | waited g. long time.
and no one came along, and [ was
afraid mamma would die, and then |
cried, and you came along. You
looked at me so, and didn't look like
the people where | live, and 7 thought
you were going to give me some
money. / was so glad; but when you
jerked your arm away [ thought you
were angry, and then | cried again
and prayed real hard to God to send
some good man to help my sick moth
En-"
"And God answered your prayer,
dear child, for he sent me back, but |
did not know it then"
At this juncture the porter reap
peared, bearing q large basket upon
one arm, and in the other hand
steaming coffee-pot.
ST didn't know but the little chick
would like some warm drink, being as
she looks so cold like" said the
porter; "snd seeing as cook had left
the coffee~pot on the stove and it had
kept hot, took the liberty to bringit
along"
"That's right, Martini" said the
clerk.
''And it also shows that his hearts
in the right place." added Mr.. Selwyn.
Setting the basket down on the
floor, Martin poured out some coffee
and handed it to the child.
"Here, my little one, drink this.
and here's a nice piece of mince pie,
too. Amt she little midget, to be
sure, and been walking round in the
street In this terrible cold"
The little girl eagerly drank the
warm coffee but she could not be per-